


How Do We Keep Our Balance?

by Pirate_Jenna



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ishbalan | Ishvalan, F/M, Ishbalan | Ishvalan Alphonse Elric, Ishbalan | Ishvalan Edward Elric, Post-Canon, pre-wedding, this takes place just before the picture in the epilogue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:41:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21989008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pirate_Jenna/pseuds/Pirate_Jenna
Summary: Alphonse has always wanted to know more about his people and their culture, and recent develops have pushed that desire to the forefront. A wedding is a merging of two people. It only makes sense that it should have a merging of their families and traditions too, right?
Relationships: Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell, In the background, Mei Chan | May Chang/Alphonse Elric
Comments: 2
Kudos: 73





	How Do We Keep Our Balance?

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my secret santa gift for watertribe-enya! I hope you have a wonderful holiday and enjoy!

It was a very odd and rather lengthy set of circumstances that led to Al sitting in this room having this conversation. And while this was hardly the strangest thing that had happened in his life (let’s be real, it didn’t even crack the top ten), Al still had a rather surreal feeling as he sat down. And because Al liked to second guess his decisions before he made them, he quickly ran through everything that had brought him to this moment.

He supposed first, there was the wedding. 

Al, of course, had been Ed’s best man. Mei had been one of Winry’s bride’s maids. This had led to the two of them spending most of the wedding--preparing, during the ceremony, during the reception, and cleaning after--together. Not that they wouldn’t have anyway, but something about their roles in the wedding and the time together had shifted their relationship a bit. Al had already been spending a lot of time in Xing. With the Ishval reconstruction well on its way, and Ling pushing to work out a trans country rail line, he’d had even more reason to spend time in Xing, and specifically at the royal palace.

They’d been “together” when the first announcement came. Mei had accompanied him to Rush Valley to offer whatever help they could, despite Ed and Winry’s insistence they didn’t need to worry. But Al didn’t care. There weren’t too many traditions that he and Ed were familiar with from Ishval, but the celebration of a new life and the importance placed on naming them was one Al was not going to miss. Plus, no matter what Ed said, he knew it mattered to him too.

It was really the second announcement that made the push. Sure, Ed and Winry were only eighteen when they got married, but still. Al could admit to himself, almost, for maybe half a second, that he was a bit jealous of Ed and the family he was getting to make with Winry. And there was no reason for that, because Mei was right there.

So, the next thing, Al had proposed. That had been something in and of itself. He’d felt like he needed to ask Ling, since Mei was a princess and Ling was the emperor. Ling had about fallen off his seat laughing, and Al was infinitely grateful that in Ling’s private chambers Lan Fan was the only guard watching them. “Seriously, Al. If I disapproved of you, I’d have kicked you out of the county years ago.” He’d taken a minute to catch his breath, before cracking his eyes open and smirking, “Besides, I can’t wait for Ed to find out we’ll be related.”

Al wanted Ling to say yes, so he’d kept his comments to himself about how Ed was just waiting for the excuse to come cash in all the favors he felt owed for paying Ling’s expenses, and simply said thanks and went to find Mei.

It had been strangely the most terrifying and the most natural thing he’d ever done.

She’d of course said yes.

This led to the next thing. They’d helped put together Ed and Winry’s wedding. Al wasn’t an idiot; he knew that as a princess, Mei would have a much more extravagant wedding expected (possibly required) of her. He hadn’t, however, anticipated just how much everything meant.

“At this point, the groom’s parents will come forward to meet the bride’s parents and exchange gifts, representing their gratitude for each family giving their child to the other.”

Al’s face scrunched up, “Oh.”

Mei looked up from the notes she was taking, her eyes widening, “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean-”

“No, it’s fine.” Al smiled at her, “I just…” He shrugged, “It’s fine. I mean, it’s symbolic, right? So, it just needs to be someone who represents the same sort of thing as parents?”

Mei nodded, “Yes, anyone who you would like.” She quickly added, “But not Ed and Winry.”

Al groaned.

Mei smiled a bit, “They can’t fill every role, Al.”

Al flopped onto his back, “Why not? They pretty much did that growing up.”

“Well, they already have roles to fill in the ceremony. What about your grandmother?”

Al shook his head, “Granny said she may not be able to come. She wants to, but the trip’s pretty far and kinda rough. I’d love for her to do it, but…”

Mei nodded, “Of course.”

‘Oh,” Al perked up, “do they have to be related?”

Mei’s brow creased, “No…?”

Al sat back up, smiling again, “Alright then. Teacher and Sig can do it.”

Mei watched him for a moment before smiling again, “Alright,” and added to her notes.

As Al watched her write, his smile faltered a bit. Mei looked up, and her voice took on a worried tone, “What’s wrong?”

Al shook his head, as if bringing himself back to the moment, “Nothing. It’s just…” he paused, considering how to explain, “Ed and I, we don’t really know much about our culture. Mom left Ishval before I was born, and Ed was still only a baby. I mean, she taught us some things but,” he stared out the window, struggling with the swirl of emotions in his chest, still not completely dulled by time, “It wasn’t exactly the safest time to teach us.”

Mei took his hand in hers and leaned into his side as he continued, “Listening to you explain everything, all these traditions and what they represent, I just wish there was something, something I remembered Mom teaching us…” he sighed heavily, “I don’t know.”

Mei stretched up to kiss his cheek, “Well, we’ve still got time before the wedding. The two of us working on this, I bet we can find something!”

Sometimes, Al wondered if the universe enjoyed messing with him and Ed. Maybe Truth was somehow still pulling the strings on their lives, but just in really mundane ways. Maybe Lan Fan gave regular reports to Winry about what was going on and vice versa (that was probably the most likely answer). But not two weeks after that conversation, Ed had called to ask about the visit Al had planned to make. Apparently based on Winry’s prodding, they had decided to meet Al--and Mei who had insisted on coming to meet her new niece--halfway. In Ishval.

“Winry was complaining that I haven’t been out there since they first started the reconstruction,” Ed huffed. Al politely ignored the shouted protest he heard in the background. “Said it would be good to go out there.” Al could practically hear Ed hunching his shoulders as his voice dropped to more of a mumble, “Thought it’d be easier if you were there too.”

“Of course! It’s been a bit since I was there. I’d love to check in on everything.” He quickly moved on, knowing Ed would talk himself out of it if they dwelt on it too long, “Are you bringing the kids?”

Ed perked up at that, “Yeah! I mean, Henri’s still too little to travel, so she’s gonna stay with the LeCoulte’s, but Theo’s coming with us! Can’t let him miss out on meeting his favorite uncle!”

Al bit back a laugh. Sometimes it was just so hard not to see Mr. Hughes in the way Ed talked about his kids, “You mean your favorite uncle.”

Ed spluttered. Winry had managed to finish whatever had kept her from the phone earlier, and she butted in to clarify the plan for travel and make sure Ed hadn’t weaseled his way out of it.

That had led to him and Mei standing in the fairly simple and somewhat reminiscent of Resembool train station in Ishval, being accosted by the heat and Al’s favorite nephew.

Al scooped up Theo as the boy laughed, hugging him tightly before swinging him up onto his shoulders. It really was so good to see them again.

Ed and Winry quickly joined them, and after lots of hugs and a very brief scolding for Theo about running off, they were on their way. As they walked, Mei slipped her arm around Al and whispered, “You’re so adorable with kids!” and Al was actually thankful for the heat, which was hopefully helping to hide his blush.

The main headquarters for those heading up the reconstruction looked much different than when Al had last visited. The city itself was also very different. Al’s time had been very focused on helping to plan and organize and build. He’d very deliberately kept his focus narrowed. Because, at the end of the day, he and Ed weren’t so different, and he wasn’t sure if he was ready to process everything. But now, walking through the streets, seeing things almost as they once were, seeing ordinary people--not just reconstruction workers--going about their daily routine, it was hard to ignore. He glanced at Ed, who had scooped up Theo and was holding him, Winry’s right hand clutched tightly in his left. Al felt a bit better when Mei did the same for him.

Inside the building, Al felt the pressure in his chest ease a bit. Ed visibly relaxed. While Al was trying not to compare him and Ed--he and Winry had been working to drill that into Ed for years--he knew that his brother had some extra weight in his own emotional whirlpool from his time as a state alchemist. Al had been a part of that, sure. But he’d never held the title.

“Well, I must say this is a surprise.”

Al snorted when Ed’s face actually lit up as Lieutenant Colonel Miles walked up to them. He nodded to them, “Good to see you again.” Miles’s gaze dropped to Ed’s arms, “And who might this be?”

Ed grinned widely, “This is Theodore Elric-Rockbell.” Shifting so that he was looking at his son, he added, “Theo, this is your Uncle Miles.”

Theo stared at Miles for a second before smiling and reaching over to him, “Unc’e Mi’es!”

Al’s eyes widened as Miles actually almost looked panicked for a second, reaching out to grab Theo before he fell out of Ed’s arms. He quickly redirected them to his office, so they could talk out of the way.

As they did, Al felt the weight in his chest continue to lighten. Miles had been a godsend when they’d arrived at Brigg’s. Both of them were struggling with the knowledge regarding the Fuhrer and the other homunculi and the fact that Winry was being held hostage against them. Ed was also clearly blaming himself, at least in part, for what happened to Ling, and Al was suspecting that there was more to Ed attempting to resign than his brother was letting on. Ed had always chafed against the state alchemist title, loudly decrying it when they were alone and declaring to Al he was tearing free of it the second he was able. Having it forced back on him had likely cut deeper than he was willing to admit.

Then they’d met Miles.

Growing up in Resembool, they’d never known anyone else who was Ishvalan. Mom had told them stories about people back home, but they’d never felt completely real. But Miles was real. And he’d known. When everyone else around them was fooled by Ed’s gold eyes, Miles had somehow seen it. He’d been so important to them both, but Ed especially had latched onto him. An Ishvalan in the military working from the inside to make it better. It was no wonder that, even years later, Ed referred to him as his favorite uncle.

His presence alone was helping to calm Al’s nerves. Short as the visit would be, it was already bringing a lot of things to the surface that Al wasn’t sure how to deal with. But Miles was here. He and Ed weren’t doing this alone. Miles would help them if they needed it.

Apparently, Winry and Mei had noticed the shift, and quickly found a reason to excuse themselves and Theo for a bit. 

They talked briefly about a few things: the Reconstruction, the Xing/Amestris railway, the progress on Ed and Al’s research. But Miles wasn’t one to beat around the bush.

“I don’t mean to discourage visits, but why are you really here?”

For a minute, Al thought Ed was going to deny it, try to redirect to Al’s engagement or his kids or something. But Miles had a way of pulling Ed out of himself.

Didn’t mean he wasn’t still awkward and uncomfortable.

“I guess… I don’t know,” Ed shrugged, gaze fixed on the floor, “Thought I should come…”

“We never really knew much about Ishval,” Al jumping in. “Mom talked about it some but, being so close to the front…”

“Seemed like it might be good, come see everything starting to get back on its feet.”

Miles nodded, “I understand. I heard stories of Ishval, but those mixed with everything the military was pushing… It’s a far cry from seeing it yourself.”

Ed had a look on his face, like he wanted to ask something but was holding it back, and Al knew his brother well enough to know why. Ed was always very hesitant to talk about his time as a state alchemist, but especially so in front of Al. While he would complain about it to anyone who would like, any serious conversation about how holding that title for four years had affected Ed was held off for when Al wasn’t around. Despite how many years it had been, Al knew Ed was worried that talking about that whole situation would make Al feel guilty. He wasn’t completely wrong, but it wasn’t like Al didn’t feel guilty already.

All that in mind, Al decided to see about going to find the girls and giving Ed a little time to talk with Miles alone. Except… Al took a moment to debate it. He’d been thinking about it the entire train ride from Xing, and sitting here now seemed like the best opportunity he was going to get to ask. He caught Ed’s eye and realized his brother was waiting on him to speak up. Dang it, Ed.

“Um, Uncle Miles, I was- well, I wanted to ask-” Al wanted to shrink under Miles’s steady gaze, but he swallowed his nerves. After all, what was he nervous about? “I’m getting married soon, and I was wondering, do you know if there are any wedding traditions?”

Well that sounded stupid. Of course there probably were traditions. What he wanted to know was if Miles knew them.

“I expect so, however, I unfortunately do not know them. I never had the honor of attending an Ishvalan wedding.”

“Oh.” It should have been the expected answer and certainly changed nothing, but Al felt disappointed nonetheless.

“Although, if you are interested, I have someone else who would probably be able to help.”

And this was what had led to this moment. To Al, sitting down in this room, at this table, to talk with this man, who Al was really not sure how he felt about, something not helped by the mix of emotions (leaning towards negative) from Ed and Winry and the excitement and love from Mei.

And also the in comparison insignificant but in this moment incredibly awkward fact that Al had no idea what to call him.

Al tried to smile as he sat down, but somehow it felt almost irreverent.

Scar, because Al really wasn’t sure how else to think of him yet, nodded as he sat, “Miles said you wished to speak to me.”

“Yes, um…” Don’t start stumbling over yourself again. “I wanted to ask you about some of our traditions.”

“Traditions?”

“Yes. My mother left Ishval before I was born and died when I was young, so I never got to know too much about our people and, well,” he took a deep breath, “I’m getting married soon, and I wanted to know what our wedding traditions were.”

He didn’t respond immediately, and Al started to ramble a bit nervously, “Not necessarily everything, but Mei’s got all these different traditions and things that are significant-”

“Mei Chang?”

Al’s mouth snapped shut. Oh, right, Scar had kinda looked after Mei while she was in Amestris, like, a lot. Did that make him kind of like her dad? Should he say something?

“I can tell you about what a traditional wedding ceremony was like.” 

He didn’t seem upset about the fact that Al was marrying Mei, though Al wasn’t sure he would be able to recognize if he was, but if they were still talking that was probably a good sign, right? “Yes, please. I just, I want to understand what was important, why weddings were done the way they were. I want-” Al paused, because this was something he hadn’t voiced to anyone yet, not even Mei, “I want to honor this moment the same way our people did.”

Scar nodded, and this time Al felt sure the man’s face softened, “There are many things that are important to the Ishvalan marriage ceremony, but there are also several traditions outside the ceremony itself. The wedding represents the joining of two families. To honor that, each family has a private meal together the night before the wedding, just the immediate family, to celebrate their last meal as a singular unit. Each member helps cook part of the meal to demonstrate their role and importance in the family and to the groom or bride. 

“Then, after the ceremony, they have another private meal, both families together, to celebrate their first night as a new, joined unit. This meal is also cooked as a group, the two families working together to show how the marriage has not only united the couple, but their families as well…”

**Author's Note:**

> Just wanted to add, thank you so much for giving me this fantastic idea! It didn't occur to me til I started planning that I don't think I've ever read an Ishvalan AU that was post-canon, and man are there some great possibilities with that! Also, again, wouldn't have occurred to me to use Miles, but boy howdy is there a whole truckload of exciting stories you could tell with Miles in an Ishvalan AU.
> 
> And on that note, I have another idea for a fic in this universe, so if anyone is interested, keep an eye out for that!


End file.
